


New Perspective

by smittenbritain



Series: Special Requests [1]
Category: Rooster Teeth/Achievement Hunter RPF
Genre: Blow Jobs, Couch Cuddles, Couch Sex, Hand Jobs, M/M, Movie Night, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-22
Updated: 2019-06-22
Packaged: 2020-05-16 12:13:13
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,786
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19317949
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/smittenbritain/pseuds/smittenbritain
Summary: It all started when Ryan read a note in his apartment complex."WANTED- Someone to watch terrible movies with meMy friend in 406 BETRAYED me and they’re more fun with two peopleFuck you, Matt"So, naturally, he responded.





	New Perspective

**Author's Note:**

  * For [futureboy](https://archiveofourown.org/users/futureboy/gifts).



> This fic is a special request from the wonderful [futureboy](https://archiveofourown.org/users/futureboy/pseuds/futureboy)! 
> 
> The title is from 'New Perspective' by Radnor.
> 
> If you'd like to specially request a fic, please check out my info [here](https://leftsmitteninbritain.tumblr.com/info), and contact me at [leftsmitteninbritain](https://leftsmitteninbritain.tumblr.com/)!

It all started when Ryan saw a note in his apartment complex.

He was coming home from work, dragging his aching feet to the mailboxes to check them before he headed upstairs. As he dug his key out of his pocket, his gaze wandered, shifting from his own number - 396 - to the others, and then further along the wall, towards the notice board. Nine times out of ten, there were only flyers, ones that advertised some kind of event in the city that Ryan definitely wasn’t interested in, but today, there was something that actually caught his eye.

He grabbed his mail - it was only junk, but he figured he’d clear it out - locked his mailbox again, and then wandered over to take a look.

**_WANTED_ ** _\- Someone to watch terrible movies with me_  
_My friend in 406 BETRAYED me and they’re more fun with two people  
__Fuck you, Matt_

There was also a room number added at the bottom, almost like an afterthought with how slanted it was. The ad - or note, whatever it was - was crudely made, like someone had just taken a scrap piece of paper and a pen to scribble it on there in a hurry. It _did_ make Ryan chuckle; it wasn’t the first time he’d seen neighbours play tricks on each other, and it wouldn’t be the last.

He almost walked away from it.

Almost.

He reached the elevator, and his finger hovered over the call button.

He hesitated.

Ryan remembered his empty apartment, and the shadows that crept up the wall and around the corners when night drew closer. Even now, when it was just on the cusp of afternoon into evening, he could feel anxiety creeping up his throat in a slow, tingly crawl. The thought of being alone tonight gave the anxiety claws, digging them into his chest to remind him whenever he was too close to enjoying the peace and quiet.

He went back for the note.

Even if it was one night a week, that was one night where he wouldn’t be alone.

* * *

Ryan loved his apartment complex. For the most part, it was a good place to live: it was clean, maintenance problems were always solved quickly, and it was close enough to where he worked. He even had easy access to a grocery store just down the street.

The security had been pretty good, he’d thought.

And then he’d been burgled.

It had happened a few months ago now, but the thought of it happening again still paralysed Ryan with fear. Someone had made it into the building somehow - he’d never figured it out, and if the landlord had, he hadn’t told Ryan - and they’d decided to pick the lock on his door, despite being several floors up. Thanks to being a light sleeper, he’d awoken at the sound, and promptly been confronted with a masked stranger in his apartment - an aggressive, armed stranger, who took whatever valuables they could snatch up before making a quick escape. Ryan had no doubt that they would have stayed longer if he’d simply slept through it.

He had no idea what would’ve happened if he’d stayed asleep. He didn’t know if being an actual witness was worse than being blissfully oblivious.

So, no, Ryan didn’t like being alone at night now. He hadn’t confided this particular worry to anyone for fear of ridicule; granted, it was a very reasonable thing to be scared about, and his friends had admittedly been there immediately once he’d had the chance to call them after the authorities and his landlord, but…

He just couldn’t do it.

He couldn’t tell them about this specific thought - that it would happen again, because he’d never figured out if the burglar had picked his apartment by chance or if he’d been targeted. Ryan didn’t want a heavy sympathetic stare, nor did he want to guilt his friends into staying over just to soothe that fear. He was a grown ass man, and so he tried to deal with it himself.

But if there was the chance for company once in a while, he was going to seize it with both hands.

* * *

Ryan found himself knocking at the door of 405 the following night, the note in one hand and a bag of Doritos under his arm. He figured it would make a good gift for a movie night - and maybe a good apology one if he ended up falling asleep at some point, thanks to his lack of rest the previous night. Uncomfortable dreams had, as always, plagued him again, tricking him in that half awake space when he fought free and looked around his bedroom for reassurance, heart pounding.

He was tired of it.

And, well, just actually tired.

For a moment, nobody responded to his knocking. Ryan was debating between trying again and just leaving when he finally heard footsteps, the rattle of the door’s chain, and then it swung open.

The man was a little shorter than him, bald, and bearded. He was dressed in sweats and a slightly too small t-shirt that hugged his shoulders. He looked up at Ryan, open and friendly and just a touch confused, with absolutely _gorgeous_ brown eyes.

Ryan was a little bit instantly smitten.

“Hey,” the man said, frowning a little. “What’s up?” He looked past Ryan, squinting. “I don’t think I recognise you from my floor.”

Ryan forgot how to speak for a moment. He cleared his throat to give him some stalling time, and then, sheepishly, he lifted the note. “I, uh, I saw this on the noticeboard downstairs.”

Taking the note, the man scanned it, and then, surprisingly, Ryan saw a slight flush steal over his cheeks. “Oh, my God,” he said. “I didn’t… I didn’t think anybody would actually respond to this. It’s, uh, it was meant to just call out my friend who bailed on me last minute-”

Embarrassment crept up into Ryan’s throat. “Oh,” he said. “I can- I can go, sorry, I thought-”

“No, no! It’s okay!” Scrunching up the note in his fist, the man extended his other hand in an offering. “Dude, if you wanna watch some movies, I’m always down. I’m Jeremy.”

“Ryan,” he replied, shaking his hand. “You really don’t have to, though, I don’t wanna interrupt whatever you were doing.”

“Nah, I was only playing video games. Come on in.” Jeremy stepped back to wave him in. Ryan rocked on his feet for a moment, unsure, and then let his weight carry him forwards.

The layout of his apartment was pretty much the same as Ryan’s, just with far more personal touches; he was clearly comfortable here, and had spread his things far and wide in his space. For the most part, it was simple personal clutter with a stack of DVD cases down by the TV, but Ryan also spotted various video game merch, and he latched onto that immediately.

“You play video games, too?” Ryan asked. He toed his shoes off by the door, then waited for Jeremy to lead him towards the couch. On the TV, there was a bright, sparkly pause screen, though Ryan didn’t recognise it.

“Yeah!” Jeremy’s face lit up; they’d found common ground. “Here, come take a seat, you want a drink? I’ve got beer, coke-”

“Do you have diet coke?”

“Sure!”

Jeremy bustled through to the kitchen, and a few moments later returned with Ryan’s drink and an empty bowl. He set the latter on the coffee table and, as he handed Ryan the former, he said, “The bowl’s for the Doritos, if you want. So, what do you play?”

Before he answered, Ryan cracked open the can and took a few grateful gulps of his diet coke; he’d made the trek up to Jeremy’s apartment after work again, before he could chicken out. Then, as he opened up the Doritos to pour them into the bowl, he said, “Most things I can get my hands on, really. Kind of a mix of online and story stuff. I like shooters. What about you?” He nodded towards the TV. “What were you playing before I interrupted?”

“Uh, _Spyro_ ,” Jeremy said. He took a seat next to Ryan, scooping up the controller again to save and quit. As he went back to the menu, a purple dragon appeared on screen, one cocky eyebrow raised as he stared forwards at the screen. “It’s a game I used to play a lot when I was a kid, they remade it last year.”

“I think I heard about that,” Ryan admitted. “It looks pretty good.”

Jeremy beamed at him, and Ryan’s heart leaped in his chest. “It does! It’s awesome, they did a great job with it.” His cheeks coloured again, just a little. “But I’d better stop or I’ll get carried away, I don’t wanna bore you. What do you wanna watch?”

Ryan had the distinct impression that he wouldn’t be bored by Jeremy’s excitement, but since he’d tried to change the subject, he let it slide.

“Well,” Ryan said, raising an eyebrow, “your note promised terrible movies.”

Jeremy chuckled. “I did,” he agreed. “I’ve got some here, let me just…”

They ended up sorting through what was available, and Ryan quickly realised that when Jeremy said terrible movies, he really did mean _terrible_ movies. Somehow, he’d managed to accrue a surprising number of straight-to-TV titles, including their chosen one for the evening: _Thankskilling_ . The effects were awful, the plot was baffling, and the acting left _a lot_ to be desired.

Ryan had a _fantastic_ time.

When Ryan usually watched movies, it was either at the cinema in a group of friends, or he was trying to catch up on ones he’d missed at home. He’d had the occasional movie night with said friends, but he’d never done something like this: sit down with a film with the intention to rip it apart. By the time the credits were rolling, Ryan’s cheeks hurt from how much he’d been smiling. He’d sent a few glances Jeremy’s way throughout, and found himself immediately beaming at the mirth on the other man’s face. His laugh was contagious, too, and Ryan found himself finally breaking out of his shell properly for the first time in months, pushing himself to make jokes just to hear Jeremy crack up into high pitched giggles.

It had been a while since Ryan had been able to truly let go like this.

He missed it.

“That wasn’t that bad, you know,” he said, still chuckling a little; he hadn’t yet worked off his laughing fit at one set of particularly bad special effects, and it was brought on again by the sight of the SFX section of the credits.

Jeremy arched an eyebrow, but he couldn’t hold the serious expression either. Ryan watched as the corner of his mouth twitched, and then he crumpled into a grin. “You’re serious?”

“I am!” Ryan jerked his chin towards Jeremy’s TV, where the stack of DVDs was tilted to the side from Jeremy’s earlier rummaging. “You’ve gotta have others over there.”

“You don’t wanna know how deep this rabbithole goes, Ryan.”

“Oh, really? Next time, do your worst.”

“Who says we have to stop now?”

Ryan blinked. Jeremy looked a little surprised, almost like his mouth had decided to ask the question without consulting his brain.

He thought back again to his empty, dark, quiet apartment.

His chest tightened briefly.

“I’m game if you are,” Ryan said, hesitant, “but if you want me to go-”

“We can watch another,” Jeremy agreed. His shoulders sagged with just a little bit of relief, which was somewhat surprising; Ryan had been having such a good time that he definitely wouldn’t have turned down the opportunity to stay longer. He thought he’d been obvious about it, too. Maybe Jeremy was just jumpy about being polite.

In the end, Ryan did fall asleep on Jeremy’s couch halfway through the third movie. Jeremy nudged him awake during the credits, looking like he’d been asleep himself.

“I’ve gotta head to bed,” Jeremy said between yawns, “I’ve got work in the morning.”

“You let me stay over this late when you’ve got _work_?” Ryan asked. Granted, he also had to be up at a reasonable time - which would be fun when it was now past midnight - but he’d been so relaxed here that he hadn’t wanted to disturb the peace.

“You’re good company,” Jeremy said simply. He smiled sheepishly, and added, “But unless you wanna sleep on my couch tonight…”

Reluctantly, Ryan sat up and stretched. His joints clicked and popped; Jeremy winced at the sound. “As tempting as the offer is, I’ll let you have your apartment back,” he replied. Ryan tried not to seem too disappointed; it wouldn’t be fair on Jeremy, or, for that matter, his back, to steal the couch for the whole night. “Thanks for having me over, though.”

“You’re welcome anytime, man! This was fun!”

Jeremy’s whole being was just so _bright_. Even now, soft and sleepy, he was a beacon of warmth and comfort and safety. His deep belly laughs stuck in Ryan’s memory, reminding him of the sparkle of mirth in Jeremy’s eyes when he tipped his head back in amusement.

Ryan was in far, far too deep already, and he’d only met the man three movies ago.

“What about your friend?” Ryan asked, busying himself with crumpling up the empty Doritos bag. “I thought you said he only blew you off once? I don’t wanna intrude.”

“Well, we can have our own movie night.”

Jeremy said it simply, almost like it was obvious - which it was, Ryan supposed. He glanced over at him, and saw that almost-but-not-quite vulnerable look on his face again.

Ryan offered him a gentle smile. “We can have our own movie night,” he agreed. “Here, let me give you my number. Let me know when works for you.”

Eagerly, Jeremy handed Ryan his phone, and he tapped in the digits. As he left a few minutes later and headed for the elevator, Ryan realised that he’d never been so smooth in giving someone his number, and he’d done it entirely by accident.

* * *

The next time turned out to be only a week later.

During the time between the first and the second movie nights, Ryan and Jeremy ended up texting back and forth, slowly at first, and then frequently enough that Ryan found himself keeping his phone close by, waiting for it to buzz again. Ryan had initiated, figuring it was only polite to send off another thank you for the evening, and the conversation had flowed from there, far more easily than Ryan had expected.

He found out a number of things about Jeremy through casual conversation, facts that they traded back and forth: they were both single, Jeremy liked cats while Ryan preferred dogs, they both _loved_ video games. Jeremy explained that his friendship with Matt was a long one, one from high school, and it was often filled with playful insults and jabs, so the note or Ryan being Jeremy’s new movie buddy wasn’t something that would actually hurt either of them, much to Ryan’s relief.

They also discussed their schedules in an attempt to figure out timings. Once a date was set, Jeremy asked what Ryan would like to watch next, and _that_ turned into Ryan realising that the man he had a crush on had seen almost _zero_ popular movies.

And so Ryan made it his mission to educate Jeremy.

He ended up on Jeremy’s doorstep with another bag of snacks, only this time, he had a _Star Wars_ boxset in hand, too. It was, quite frankly, appalling that Jeremy had seen the newer ones without seeing the previous entries, and Ryan aimed to fix that, whether it took them one movie night or several. He was more than willing to sit through it with him, and after some mixture of amusement and sheepishness, Jeremy had agreed.

When they settled in on the couch, they jostled each other like old friends. Ryan’s heart jumped into his throat - not with his usual nerves at home, but instead with the excitement of brushing against someone he liked.

It was _electrifying_.

He still hated returning to his apartment afterwards, though. The memory of Jeremy’s bright smile could only soothe him so much; before long, worry always set in and began to gnaw at his throat, slow and insistent, until he eventually fell into a fitful sleep. They did have one particularly busy week where all Jeremy ever did was tumble into bed straight after work, and Ryan had been forced to stay at home, dozing off on his own firm couch until he managed to drag himself to bed.

Jeremy noticed immediately.

The next time they had the chance to hang out, he greeted Ryan with his new standard, warm hug, and then pulled back, frowning. “You look awful.”

“Thanks,” Ryan said, dryly. “It’s nice to see you, too.”

“I mean, you look tired, man.”

“I am,” he admitted. “I, uh, haven’t been sleeping great.”

Recognition passed over Jeremy’s face, and Ryan knew he was connecting the dots: Ryan’s poor sleep, and the fact that he kept dozing off on Jeremy’s couch. Ryan ducked his head to avoid his gaze as he toed off his shoes, loosely trying to steer them towards their evening plans.

“How come?” Jeremy asked.

Ryan shrugged, brushing him off - and then, gripped by something foolish, he said, “I haven’t for the past few months.” He paused, then continued, the words tripping over themselves. “My place was burgled, guy had a gun. Haven’t been able to settle since.”

“Holy shit,” Jeremy breathed. He waited for a moment, stunned into silence, and then, softly, he said, “I… Shit, man, I heard about that, but I didn’t realise it was yours.”

“They, uh, tried to keep it anonymous,” Ryan explained. He straightened up again, awkwardly fiddling with a loose thread in the hem of his shirt. “For safety.”

“Yeah.” Jeremy rubbed at his jaw, scratching his fingers through his beard. He looked lost, almost like he wasn’t sure what to say; it was, unfortunately, an expression Ryan had seen a lot when the burglary had first happened, so he was all too familiar with that brand of uncertain sympathy. “Well, shit, you can always come over whenever you want, Ryan.”

Dropping into the couch, Ryan sighed. “No, you don’t have to do that,” he said, repeating the words he’d said many times over. “I don’t wanna intrude on your space. You don’t have to d-”

Ryan’s mouth snapped shut when he felt Jeremy’s hand on his shoulder. “We’re friends now, Ryan,” he said. Ryan’s shoulder tingled long after Jeremy removed his hand, and a soft glow lit up in his chest at the gentle smile on Jeremy’s face. “ _That’s_ why I’m offering you a place to stay.”

It was like Jeremy had read his mind. Ryan hadn’t needed to explain any insecurity over being a burden; Jeremy already knew.

He slumped back into the couch. “Thanks.”

“Of course.” And then, smoothly, Jeremy continued, calling over his shoulder as he disappeared into the kitchen. “Hey, you wanna watch _Terminator_? It’s on TV tonight.”

Ryan stared after him. “You’ve actually seen _Terminator_?”

Jeremy was suspiciously silent. When he emerged, a beer and a diet coke in hand, he avoided Ryan’s gaze on the way to his side of the couch. “No,” he eventually admitted. “It’s always been on my Movie Bucket List, but I’ve never had the chance to watch it.”

Groaning, Ryan reached out to take his drink. “Of course you haven’t seen _Terminator_ ,” he sighed. “Sure, we’ll watch it. I think you’d like it. Think you’d like the second one, too.”

Frowning, Jeremy asked, “Aren’t there more than two? What about the others?”

Ryan grimaced. “We don’t talk about the others.”

* * *

They settled into somewhat of a weekly routine - a weekly routine that quickly became a couple of times a week, and, sometimes, even three, depending on their work schedules. Before Ryan knew it, a few months had passed, and while he’d rewatched plenty of movies that he’d already seen, it was well worth it to spend time with Jeremy.

And, true to his word, Jeremy didn’t mind Ryan staying over. While he’d still never intentionally taken that invitation for a full night, Ryan tended to doze off by the end of the evening without fail, despite his best efforts.

Sometimes, Jeremy would carefully wake him up, smiling and teasing him fondly.

Sometimes, Ryan woke with Jeremy’s head on his shoulder and his breaths puffing against his shirt.

Once, Ryan stirred in the morning, and he found himself horizontal on the couch with a blanket draped over him. Jeremy greeted him with breakfast before they both headed off to work.

It was oddly domestic, and it left Ryan feeling actually, truly comfortable.

* * *

And, in the end, it was Jeremy who made the first move.

It was an amusingly appropriate date, too: he took Ryan out to their local cinema to see some shitty film that neither of them remembered the title of. Ryan spent most of the time with his heart pounding in his chest as he and Jeremy held hands over the armrest.

He left Jeremy at his doorstep with a gentle goodnight kiss. The question of whether to come inside hung heavily between them - not for anything in particular, more just to continue the evening and spend more time together - but they parted ways with the assumption that they would see each other again in a couple of nights anyway.

By the time Ryan got home, they were already texting, and the darkness of his apartment didn’t seem so bad.

* * *

It was almost like nothing had changed. Ryan still came over with snacks and, sometimes, with movies, and they took their usual spots on the couch, had their usual drinks, and continued with their usual banter. Most times, as the evening wore on, they would be drawn together, slumping against each other’s side or holding hands so Ryan could feel Jeremy’s squeeze when he laughed. Occasionally, Ryan would drape an arm around his shoulders, and Jeremy would tuck himself into his side: warm, solid, and reassuring.

Sometimes, they got carried away.

It usually happened when they were watching yet another terrible movie, just like they had when this all began.

“You have such fucking bad taste in movies,” Ryan murmured between kisses. His hands grasped at Jeremy’s shirt, tugging and pulling, pushing it up just enough that he could slide a hand under it to skim over Jeremy’s stomach. He felt it jump under his touch, and it sent a little thrill through his veins.

Jeremy laughed against his lips, warm and breathless. “That’s what brought you over here in the first place, Ryan.”

“Maybe,” he agreed, more interested in kissing across the neatly trimmed beard along Jeremy’s jaw, “but I thought I’d be able to show you reason by now.” He said it all with a smile on his face, echoing Jeremy’s snickers when he felt a finger prod him in the chest enough to push him back, just a little.

“I showed you _classics_ ,” Jeremy said, eyebrows raised.

Ryan glanced down at the finger still on his chest, holding him back, and then back up at Jeremy again. “You showed me _Apocalypse Kiss_ , Jeremy. Of all the movies you’ve shown me, that one was easily the most boring- _mm._ ”

Jeremy cut him off with a firm, insistent kiss, and Ryan’s hands fluttered up to cup Jeremy’s cheeks, his thumbs stroking back and forth idly until they parted again. “Did you forget the part where we made out?” Jeremy asked, eyebrows wiggling. “That wasn’t boring.”

Of course Ryan hadn’t forgotten. How could he when he’d ended up achingly hard, enough that he’d smoothly taken his leave after the movie finished so he could take care of business at home? So far, that was the furthest they’d gotten; neither of them had prompted anything more just yet, and Ryan wasn’t going to rush things if Jeremy didn’t seem interested in more right now. He was happy to take his time here and let things progress whenever it felt natural.

On the other hand, Jeremy was a fucking _fantastic_ kisser, and it had been a long time since Ryan had gotten laid. He’d barely even jerked off until now, considering how on edge he’d been.

Ryan swallowed hard. “I didn’t forget,” he said.

Jeremy’s smirk was going to be the death of him. “Mhm,” he hummed, and then leaned in again.

He quickly lost himself in the hot press of Jeremy’s mouth and the way he kept trying to inch closer on the couch, despite already being plastered to Ryan’s side. It was intoxicating, and heat had long since started pooling in Ryan’s stomach, leaving him achingly wanting. He didn’t plan on doing anything more than kissing Jeremy, though - that was, until Jeremy cursed against Ryan’s mouth and clambered up onto his lap, swinging his leg across Ryan’s legs to straddle him. Before Ryan had much of a chance to even take it in, Jeremy was kissing him again, much more insistently than before, and Ryan felt himself flush with how _obvious_ Jeremy’s want was.

His hands flew to Jeremy’s hips, grasping at the shape of them as his fingers slipped back under the hem of his shirt again, just for that tantalising touch of bare skin. Jeremy clumsily grabbed Ryan’s shoulders, propping himself up as he pressed close, eager for more.

Ryan wasn’t sure who moved first, but before he knew it, they were grinding together. He could feel how hard Jeremy was through his jeans, and the realisation had Ryan flushing and biting back a moan.

And then, gripped by a sudden bout of confidence that Ryan didn’t usually have in bed, he used his hold on Jeremy’s hips to guide him in the next roll, rocking up to meet him in a deliciously firm press that sent sparks up Ryan’s spine.

“Fuck,” Jeremy hissed against Ryan’s lips. He twitched forwards, out of rhythm with how eager he was to find the next wave of pleasure. “Ryan-”

“You’re okay with this?” Ryan asked, squeezing Jeremy’s hips for emphasis. They were crossing the threshold of things they’d already done, and while Ryan gladly wanted to do more - namely, get more noises out of Jeremy - he wanted to first make sure that this was okay.

“Fuck yeah, it’s okay.” Jeremy pressed a kiss to the scruff on Ryan’s jaw. “I’ve been thinking about this for weeks, absolutely _hell_ yes. You?”

“Mm, same,” Ryan admitted, though the words were muffled as he sought Jeremy out for another kiss.

With permission given, Ryan became freer with his movements, deliberately rocking up to meet Jeremy every time now, and kissing him harder when Jeremy moaned into his mouth. Somewhere, Jeremy lost his shirt, and Ryan admired the play of his muscles under his skin as he stretched up to toss it to the floor behind him. When his eyes closed with the next kiss, Ryan’s fingers wandered over the newly exposed skin greedily, admiring his firm forearms and his softer stomach alike. Ryan admittedly didn’t notice when his own shirt went missing, not until he felt Jeremy’s fingertips against his own skin.

As their kisses became slower and hotter, Ryan’s hands followed the shape of Jeremy’s hips, dipping down to where they met his waistband. “Can I?” he asked, murmuring the request into the damp space between their mouths.

Jeremy’s breath came out in a shudder. “Fuck, please,” he gasped.

Ryan considered taking his time. He thought about slowly dragging down the zipper on Jeremy’s jeans and teasing him through his underwear, just to see how he’d react.

He _thought_ about it.

In reality, Ryan filed it away for another time - for either him or Jeremy to do, he wasn’t fussy - and instead, he hastily opened up Jeremy’s jeans and slipped his hand straight past his underwear. He wrapped his fingers around his dick to draw it out into the open air, and then he parted from the kiss to sneak a quick look down. Seeing his own fingers wrapped around Jeremy as he made his first slow stroke from base to tip sent a crackle of heat along Ryan’s nerves, and it left him aching where he was still trapped inside his own jeans.

“ _Fuck_ ,” Jeremy hissed. His head thumped down to Ryan’s shoulder, and his fingers curled tight against his skin.

Ryan was _immediately_ invested in Jeremy’s reactions.

He was caught up enough that he trailed his fingers along Jeremy’s length, almost reverent in the way he moved slowly at first. He could feel every twitch and shift of Jeremy’s body against his own, every little way Jeremy adjusted to try and get just a little more friction or pressure. It wasn’t until Jeremy huffed out a raspy “ _C’mon, Ryan_ ” that he got down to business.

“Sorry, didn’t mean to tease,” Ryan murmured, pressing an apologetic kiss to the corner of Jeremy’s jaw.

Jeremy’s reply was lost in a grateful groan; Ryan had picked up a steady pace, twisting his wrist whenever he reached the head just to get that same eager drive of Jeremy’s hips every time. “S’okay,” Jeremy breathed, finding the words despite the fact that he was thoroughly distracted. “Just- _fuck_ , yeah, that’s good, _Ryan_.”

Ryan swallowed; his throat gave a dry click. “You close?”

“Yeah,” Jeremy gasped, burying his face into the crook of Ryan’s neck. “Yeah, fuck, I’m close, I’m really close.”

Jeremy’s shifting kept brushing up against him - though it wasn’t anything substantial, it was just enough to tease, just enough of a press that it sent a little tingle of pleasure down to his toes. It was only fuelled by Jeremy’s soft noises, muffled now with how he panted against Ryan’s jaw, his pitch creeping higher and higher the closer he got-

And then, tensing and gasping Ryan’s name, Jeremy came, clutching at his bare shoulders as he spilled over Ryan’s fist. Ryan kept stroking and gently squeezing to help him ride it out, his gaze glued to the way the muscles of Jeremy’s back flexed and twitched as he kept rocking into Ryan’s hand. When Jeremy flinched and hissed out a quiet breath, Ryan let go with one last brush of his thumb, and awkwardly held his wet hand out to the side so he didn’t get come on Jeremy’s couch.

“Holy shit,” Jeremy panted, still trying to catch his breath. He hauled himself up to cup Ryan’s cheek and kiss him again, hard and clumsy, and then his hand dipped down between them so he could thumb at Ryan’s zipper. “Can I-”

“ _Please_ ,” Ryan whined.

Jeremy barely tugged his own jeans up before he unbuttoned Ryan’s. Ryan lost himself in the next kiss, and the one after that - enough that he somehow almost missed the way that Jeremy stood up, and then, slowly and deliberately, sunk to his knees between Ryan’s.

“Jeremy,” he breathed, eyes widening.

“Is this okay?” Jeremy asked. He smoothed his palms over Ryan’s thighs and gave them a little squeeze. A pulse of heat lazily throbbed through Ryan’s veins.

“Yeah, s’okay,” he murmured. His hand came up to cradle Jeremy’s jaw as something like wonder crossed his features.

Jeremy’s thumbs rubbed in little circles. He didn’t move just yet, his brows drawn together just a little. “You sure?”

“I’m sure,” Ryan promised him. “Are you? I didn’t even offer-”

“In case you didn’t notice, you were fucking amazing,” Jeremy interrupted. He tilted his head so he could kiss the inside of Ryan’s wrist. “I’m pretty sure I just jizzed my brains out. So,” he said, raising an eyebrow and offering Ryan a grin, “let me do the same for you.”

Ryan exhaled in a rush. “Cocky bastard.”

Jeremy laughed. “That’s me!”

Any other words died on Ryan’s tongue when Jeremy pressed his palm against him through his underwear. There was a noticeable damp patch - Ryan flushed when he realised, a little embarrassed - but Jeremy just hummed as he rubbed his thumb over the bulge of Ryan’s dick. Where Ryan had been hasty, Jeremy was lazy; he dragged his fingers up and down Ryan’s length a couple times before he even tugged down his underwear, and when he took Ryan in hand, the circle of his hand stayed firmly at the base, balancing him as Jeremy pushed up his shirt and peppered lazy kisses down the exposed parts of Ryan’s hips.

Ryan bit the inside of his cheek to stifle a whimper. “Jeremy.”

“Mhm?” Jeremy’s eyes were closed and he didn’t look up. He wandered closer to Ryan’s dick, but still didn’t quite touch. In fact, he skipped over Ryan’s middle to get straight to his other hipbone, where he continued his trail of gentle kisses.

_“Jeremy,_ ” Ryan groaned.

“Yeah?”

Jeremy squeezed.

Ryan saw stars.

_“Please?”_

Jeremy didn’t reply - not verbally. Instead, he parted his lips around the head of Ryan’s dick and, agonisingly slowly, sunk down a couple of inches.

Ryan’s head tipped back against the couch cushions with a gasp, his eyes slamming shut - even though Jeremy made an intoxicating sight down there between his legs, Ryan was pretty sure that he’d come on the spot if he looked down again. He needed a moment to gather his wits before he rushed towards completion far quicker than he meant to, but Jeremy was so slow and steady that Ryan couldn’t find a foothold. Before he knew it, Jeremy was near his fist where it still rested at the base of Ryan’s dick, and then he was drawing up again, and _humming_ around him, too.

Grasping at Jeremy’s shoulder, Ryan whimpered his name as he swiftly started to crumble. It was so much after such a long time, and despite his best efforts, Ryan knew there was no way that he could hold out for very long.

He was safe here, though, with Jeremy. That was the difference.

With him, everything was so easy, so comfortable.

Jeremy bobbed quicker, seemingly just as eager as Ryan was. He fought the urge to buck, instead leaving himself to simply squirm and press back into the couch, the fingers of his free hand digging into the upholstery. Familiar sparks ricocheted along Ryan’s nerves, starting a chain reaction that was inevitable now.

“Jeremy,” he gasped, tapping at his shoulder urgently, “Jeremy, I’m close, I’m-”

But rather than pull off, Jeremy ignored the warning - or, rather, he acknowledged it by sinking down as much as he could and stroking what he couldn’t take. All it took was one twist of Jeremy’s wrist for Ryan to come, and it hit him hard, buckling him forwards with a sharp, choked out version of Jeremy’s name. Pleasure jittered through him as he accidentally tightened his hold on Jeremy’s shoulder, not in an effort to hold him down, but to simply hold him _close_.

His orgasm was hard and sharp, washing over him with a force he hadn’t felt in a long time, and once it faded, it left Ryan sagging back into the couch again, suddenly exhausted. Jeremy pressed a few gentle kisses against his thighs once he let Ryan go, and then, delicately, carefully, he tucked Ryan back in again before he climbed back up onto the couch with a wince.

“My knees,” he grumbled playfully, sinking in under Ryan’s arm.

“My everything,” Ryan mumbled. His eyes were still closed and his head was still resting against the back of the couch; he didn’t think he had it in him to lift it right now.

“Your everything?” Jeremy repeated. He laughed quietly, fond and warm. “Man, I didn’t know I was _that_ good. Thanks for the ego boost.”

“Like you need one.” He lightly swatted Jeremy’s arm, and he smiled at the chuckle he got for his efforts. “Well, you made good on your promise. You made me jizz my brains out, too. I don’t think I can make it home.”

“Then don’t.”

Ryan cracked an eye open. “Hm?”

“Then don’t go back to your place,” Jeremy said, shrugging one shoulder. “We’re dating, Ryan. I literally _just_ blew you. You can stay over.”

Jeremy made it sound so simple - and, well, Ryan supposed it was that simple. He hadn’t wanted to assume he could stay overnight, not until Jeremy offered, and until now, he’d gone back home after their date nights. Now, though…

Fingers ran through his hair, and Ryan melted. “Maybe you’ll get a good night’s sleep, too,” Jeremy murmured.

“Mm.” Ryan let out a long, slow exhale, and with it, he felt himself relax even further. “Maybe.”

He felt Jeremy press a light kiss to his cheek. “Shower first, though. You’re not bringing dry come into my bed. I _just_ washed those sheets.”

Reluctantly, finally, Ryan opened his eyes. He was met with the sight of Jeremy staring down at him, warmth and contentment radiating from his face, and Ryan’s heart did cartwheels. “You might have to hold me up,” he joked, reaching up to thumb Jeremy’s jaw.

Jeremy smiled. “I can do that.”

They ended up staying on the couch for another twenty minutes at least, and they dragged their feet even more on their way to the shower. At the end of it all, though, when Ryan sunk into bed next to Jeremy afterwards, it was with the knowledge that he was finally going to sleep well tonight, as much as he wanted, without fear of interruption. Jeremy fit himself against Ryan’s back, warm and solid and comforting, and Ryan barely managed to slur a “ _Goodnight, Jeremy_ ” before he was, at last, blissfully asleep.

* * *

One evening, on his way home from work, Ryan saw another letter on the noticeboard.

**_WANTED_ ** _\- Someone to play terrible video games with me_  
_My friend in 405 BETRAYED me by getting a boyfriend, and now he’s too busy watching movies  
__Fuck you, Jeremy_

Ryan laughed out loud at the sight of it. There was no question over who it was; by now, Ryan recognised the handwriting, as well as the playful style of banter that he saw between Jeremy and his friends. Still chuckling, Ryan tore down the note, and he tucked it into his pocket on his way to the elevator.

He was still snickering when he closed the door to Jeremy’s apartment - or, at least, what used to be just Jeremy’s apartment. Now, it was Jeremy and _Ryan’s_ apartment.

Jeremy perked up on the couch, pausing the game he had on screen. “Hey, Rye.”

“Hey, Jeremy.” Ryan dropped his backpack by the door, toed off his shoes, and wandered over to drop a kiss on the top of Jeremy’s head. Only once their greeting ritual was complete did he reveal the note with a flourish and a grin. “Here. I think Matt’s finally calling you out.”

Jeremy took it, brow furrowed, and then he promptly burst into laughter a few seconds later. “Bastard! I’m gonna take this over to him after dinner.” He looked up at Ryan, head tilted. “You don’t mind if I stay late to make it up to him, do you?”

He knew what Jeremy meant. It wasn’t a question about spending time with someone other than Ryan - no, it was a question about how comfortable Ryan was at the thought of being alone.

And that was entirely why they’d moved in together.

Months had passed. Every night Ryan spent here, with Jeremy, he managed to sleep through the night - no nightmares, no interruptions, no strange sense of unease upon waking. That period of his life almost seemed like a far off dream now, almost like it had never happened. It had been a relief to hand over the key to his apartment when his tenancy was up, and it had been a very easy decision to simply settle in with Jeremy.

But that wasn’t even his primary motivation. Shaking off his unease had been a bonus.

It was really much more simple than that.

Ryan fell for Jeremy more every day. They just clicked in a way that he’d never really felt before now, but it all just made so much sense like this. Jeremy was perfect, even with his imperfections, and Ryan didn’t want to be anywhere else. The silence of being alone didn’t scare him so much anymore, not when Jeremy was so bright and boisterous and _wonderful_.

He leaned over the couch again to plant another kiss on Jeremy’s forehead. “Sure,” he said, beaming at him, “go for it. I could do with some peace and quiet anyway.”


End file.
